Both, together
by Kedi
Summary: Red/Ruby confronts Jiminy/Archie after his attempt to leave Storybrooke. A Red Cricket coda to 2x02: We are Both.
1. We are both, together

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Once Upon A Time Raphael Sbarge would be in every friggin' episode and Red Cricket would be canon, but alas! I only own the first season DVD set and my imagination.

**Author's note:** Thank you to the Red Cricketeers on tumblr for encouraging me to post this. This one is for you guys, you are awesome! Chirp on! (...Oh my, that sounded all kinds of cheesy, sorry.)

**Rating:** T to be safe

-.:.-.:.-.:.-.:.-.:.-

The door was rattling under the force of her furious knocking, and when he opened it he understandably looked like he was anticipating a disaster. _He always was very perceptive,_ Red thought as she stormed past without giving him the chance to invite her in. She was already pacing the living room in obvious agitation by the time he hesitantly joined her. The frustration that had built in her all afternoon welled at the mere sight of him and overflowed.

"What the _hell_ was that?!"

He flinched in the face of her fury but she couldn't find it in herself to care. She had planned to ease into this whole conversation, had practiced what to say in her head ever since they all got back to town, but despite her attempts at composing a well-worded and convincing speech, all she had really done was to work herself up into an angry frenzy.

"I... I don't understand..."

She turned to him and was ready to give him a piece of her mind, but some of the wind went out of her sails as she saw his face and realised that he was telling the truth; he really had no idea why she was so angry. Her eyes narrowed and a small part of her felt gleeful at the sight of him visibly swallowing.

"The border." She didn't have to add the 'you idiot' as she was sure he heard it in the tone of her voice. She hoped he did, the _idiot_. "You tried to bail." Her voice was lower this time, but the lack of volume didn't negate any of the fury behind it.

She expected him to defend himself or at least try to explain - she _wanted_ him to, because that way she could yell at him some more and force him to see reason... but to her surprise he just sighed and walked past her to slump down on the couch. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, closed his eyes and started slowly massaging his temples.

"Why..." He sighed again, fingers stilling at his temples for a moment before they continued their slow, circular motion. "Why are you so angry, Red?"

"What do you mean, 'why am I so angry'? Of course I'm angry! YOU ALMOST DELETED YOURSELF! Voluntarily!" Her hands were clenched so tightly they ached.

He looked up at her with weary resignation, fingers still touching his temples, but no longer massaging the skin. "What I mean is; why are you so angry that I would do that? Was Archie so bad you couldn't bear to -"

Red hid her face in her hands and groaned loudly in frustration, seriously contemplating kicking him in the shin for being so dense. "You don't get it, do you!" It wasn't a question, but even if it had been she didn't pause long enough for him to answer. "I would have lost you! Jiminy, Archie - Charming is right, we are both! I'm not angry that Archie would remain, I'm angry that Jiminy would be gone!"

He looked at her in a way she couldn't quite decipher. She expected this was Jiminy, because Archie had never had quite that depthless look in his eyes, a look that spoke of countless secrets and hard decisions; the eyes of a conscience in human form. Perhaps it shouldn't surprise her to find his blue human eyes even more inscrutable than his black cricket eyes, but it did. Back home in the Enchanted Forest she had always told herself that had he been human she would have been able to read more from his eyes – apparently she had been wrong.

He slowly lowered his hands and clasped them loosely in front of him, elbows still resting on his knees.

"Why?"

She was so angry she wanted to scream – maybe then would he finally hear her. But before she had the chance to open her mouth he rose from the couch and for the first time in her life – both her lives - she felt he was towering over her, even though her heels made the difference in height between them just a few inches.

His voice rose slightly, but he was still nowhere near the volume she had been using.

"We were friends both back home and here in Storybrooke, but why do you feel so strongly about this? Why would you care if Jiminy was 'deleted', as you call it? Archie would still be here, no different from the Archie you've known for 28 years now. I was not the only one who wanted to cross the border, but I have a feeling I'm the only one whose door you nearly broke down to get in and shout at." He stepped up to her, right into her personal space. His expression was pained and when he spoke again it was little more than a harsh whisper: "Why is that, Red?"

Red didn't know what to say. Her heart was racing. The wolf in her could feel the heat coming off of his body in waves and could detect his distinct scent under the aftershave Ruby liked so much.

She closed the remaining distance between them and kissed him.

He startled, but she put both hands on the sides of his face to keep him from retreating. She tried to explain everything with that kiss, but felt fear spread though her and tears burning in her eyes when he just stood there, stunned. She was about to give up, but then suddenly he was kissing her back. Eyes opening in surprise she saw a single tear trail down his cheek before he broke the kiss and pushed her slowly away. He held her at arm's length and didn't look at her, seemingly fighting for control. The fear that had receded slightly when he kissed her back started seeping outwards again.

"This ..." His voice shook slightly and he cleared his throat. "This is part of why I wanted to-to cross the border, Red. Archie... Jiminy is..." He shook his head and Red could see a painfully familiar look of self-loathing on his face. She had often seen that same look on her own face looking in the mirror. "Neither Archie nor Jiminy are worthy you, but at least with Archie the age gap could be, if not ignored then at least condoned. And – and while he's a weak man Archie is a good man. With the curse broken he might actually have a chance to grow and to evolve, maybe even muster up the courage to ask you out. But with Jiminy still here I remember just how unworthy I am of your love. Jiminy... Jiminy has much to answer for. Too much. Jiminy ... is even weaker than Archie."

He wiped another tear from his cheek with the heel of his hand and sat down at the couch again with a huff. He was silent for a beat before he continued, voice a little stronger. "I was scared, and I ran. I'm not proud of it. I felt so overwhelmed... I still do." He let out a humourless chuckle. "That's one thing Archie and Jiminy have in common, they are both weak. With weakness enough for two... it's still very tempting to just leave. The Prince has no doubt put guards on the road, but they can't watch the whole border – all I have to do is go into the woods and walk until I reach the city limit."

He looked so lost and forlorn and tired and _beaten_ that Red just wanted to hug him. But she didn't think that would go over well at this point, so instead she sat down next to him, took his hand in both of hers and gave it a squeeze.

"Did you know I used to wish you were human?" She couldn't help but chuckle when his head snapped up and he looked at her with surprise clear on his face. "I did. Back home in the Enchanted Forest. So many times. You were my best friend and you helped me so much, and so many times I just wished I could hug you. Or kiss you..." He was still looking shell-shocked and haunted, but when she leaned in for a second kiss he kissed her back with such reverent tenderness she wanted to cry. When they broke apart they sat for a moment, not saying anything, foreheads touching, noses nuzzling, breathing in sync.

"You're human now," she whispered.

"I am," he whispered back, and Red felt the first tendrils of hope radiating outwards from her heart.

"I know it's a lot to take in," she murmured. "I know you're scared – I am too. I know that Jiminy is carrying a lot of guilt – but so is Red. 'When you owe a debt that can never be repaid, all you can really do is to try to do so anyways.' Remember you told me that? It's good advice, even though it's hard to follow sometimes." She put her hand on his cheek when he moved to pull away, gently turning his head so he was looking at her again. "And I also know that apart from Snow you're the best friend I've ever had. Now Snow is gone and she might not come back, and the thought of loosing you too..." She had to pause for a few seconds before she was able to speak past the lump in her throat. "Back home I could talk to you about anything, even stuff I couldn't talk to her about. You were always there for me. And here in Storybrooke... Ruby never thought she was good enough for you, but you have no idea how many times she wished she were."

"I'm too -"

"You're not too old," she stopped him before he could even finish the protest. "If anything you're distinguished." She waggled her eyebrows in an exaggeratedly leery way and was relieved to hear him chuckle softly. He shook his head, but the corner of his mouth was curving into a small smile. She gave his hand another squeeze, and this time he squeezed back.

"You are both Jiminy and Archie, just like I'm both Red and Ruby, and though it's confusing as all hell it helps to know that ... that ... I don't know, that we're in this together, that we have each other. All four of us, I guess..." She trailed off as he chuckled again, and she gave his shoulder a playful push. "Hey, gimme a break, I'm trying here. Shouldn't this be the therapist's job?"

He leaned into her slightly and she immediately closed the distance between them, resting her head on his shoulder.

"You're doing splendidly," he said softly, turning his head slightly, his cheek warm against the top of her head. "You'd make a wonderful therapist."

The silence stretched between them for a long moment before Red spoke again.

"I could live without you," she admitted softly. "But I'd be miserable at best. Please don't make me."

He put his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled closer. The wolf in her felt his pulse against her skin, and she revelled in the fact that he was alive, and that their hearts were beating in sync.

"I won't," he promised.


	2. The morning after

Daylight pooled in through the large windows of the living room and Red squinted blearily into the brightness. With a groan she pushed the thick woollen blanket off her shoulders and rose from the couch.

"Archie?"

There was no answer. The living room was empty, and somehow she knew the rest of the house was empty as well. A bad feeling started settling in the pit of her stomach. Something was _wrong_. She hurried out the front door, frantically looking every which way, but he was not in sight.

"Looking for someone, my dear?"

The sickly sweet voice immediately put Red on full alert as she twirled around with a snarl. Regina, looking every bit the Evil Queen even in her snappy dress suit, laughed.

"Heel, girl! You don't have the power to take me on, and frankly you don't have the time either."

Red scowled, trying unsuccessfully to push down the painful gnawing of worry and fear. "What do you mean? Where's Archie?"

The Queen's beautiful features twisted into an ugly sneer at the sound of the former cricket's name.

_"Archie Hopper,"_ she spat out the name with obvious dislike. "dared to stand up to me after getting out of the mines, dared to threaten to help Emma Swan take away my son! _Nobody_ threatens me and gets away with it!"

The cold fury in the woman's voice did nothing to alleviate the fear spreading through Red's body. Her voice matched the Queen's coldness and didn't even shake: "What did you do to him?"

"Oh, I didn't _do_ anything to him." The Queen's tone turned mocking now, even gleeful. "I just ... convinced him that a stroll out towards the city limits would do him a world of good."

Red didn't even stay to let her finish, running as soon as she heard the words 'city limits'. The Queen's laugh rang in her ears as she ran as fast as she could down the road leading out of town. Breathing ragged and pulse pounding she prayed to every deity she could think of that she would not be too late. But even as she pushed herself to her limit, running faster and faster, and even as she turned the corner and saw him up ahead, she knew deep down that it was not fast enough; she would not reach him in time.

"Archie! No! Don't!"

He turned at the sound of her breathless cry and even from the distance still separating them she could see a regretful but resigned look on his face.

"NO! Archie, you _promised!_"

He just shook his head and took one step back, crossing the orange line on the ground. Red stumbled to a halt a few feet away, tears streaming down her face as she saw magic starting to shimmer around him. He just stood there, never breaking eye contact, just barely out of her reach, a heartbreakingly sad look on his face.

But suddenly his eyes widened in surprise and his whole body tensed. It was the only outward warning before the shimmering magic engulfing him started taking on a distinct and frighteningly familiar purple tint. Red could only watch in horror as the ominous swirling intensified and he started shaking.

_"Archie?!"_ Something was very wrong; this was not how Grumpy had described it happening to Sneezy!

"The bug has almost a century worth of memories to delete. Obviously needs more juice to get rid of it all."

Red twirled around in surprise at the voice and gasped at the sight of the Evil Queen only a few feet away, that arrogant smirk Ruby hated so much firmly in place. Regina had the gall to chuckle and Red had to fight down the urge to jump at her and tear her to pieces – even without the wolf Red knew she would be more than capable of doing serious damage. But a strangled gasp from Archie made her turn back to him just as a line of blood started to trickle from his nose. His pupils were so dilated that his eyes seemed almost completely black and in them she could almost imagine seeing Jiminy's memories being deleted en masse, like a crashing computer. The look on his face – the look that told her he felt it happening and that it was _painful_ – broke her heart.

Then suddenly, as if someone had flicked a switch, the shaking stopped and the purple mist faded away. For a moment he just stood there, swaying, before he collapsed forward. Ignoring Regina Red ran forward with a cry and pulled him completely clear of the orange line.

"Archie, are you all right?!"

The Queen let out a bark of a laugh behind them that sent shivers down Red's spine. "No reason he should be! The curse wiped his mind completely!"

A terrible coldness stole over her and Red didn't need Emma to verify that the Queen was telling the truth. Archie was dead weight in her arms and the dull and empty look in his half-open eyes terrified her.

"NO! No, no, no, please, no..."

It felt like her whole world was falling around her ears. She heard the Queen cackle somewhere behind her, but she didn't care, her full focus on the still form in her arms.

"Archie, talk to me!"

_Ruby._

"Please, Jiminy! Say something!"

She shook him, but his head just lolled slightly, eyes remaining dull and un-seeing behind cracked lenses.

_Red!_

"Please don't leave me! ARCHIE!"

_RED!_

She bolted up in bed, breath hitching and tears streaming down her cheeks. It took her a few seconds to realise that Archie was sitting on the bed, very much awake, beside her.

"I heard you cry out in your sleep, a-are you –"

She cut him off with a desperate hug, shaking as the images of the nightmare replayed themselves in her mind. '_It was a dream, it was just a dream, just a dream... gods, it was just a dream...'_

"Red... Red, I-I need to breathe..."

But despite the slightly choked words he hugged her back as she cried herself out. When her energy waned and her sobs faded into sniffling hiccups he eased her desperate hug open and shushed her gently when she grabbed hold of the front of his t-shirt with wide eyes. "Don't worry," he whispered as he eased them both down on the bed before pulling her close again and arranging the covers over them. "I'm not going anywhere. Go back to sleep, it's all right. You're safe."

She wanted to tell him it wasn't herself she was worried about, but the fear from the nightmare was still too raw for her to find any words at all. So she tried to focus on him: '_He is right here. He is safe. He said he wasn't going anywhere, and he doesn't lie. He broke a promise in the dream, but that was just a dream. He's not going anywhere.' _Her grip on his t-shirt tightened. She wouldn't let him go anywhere.

It took a long time, but she finally fell asleep to the reassuring sound of his heart beating and his hands drawing soothing circles on her back.

When the first light of morning started shining in through the gaps in the curtains Red blearily opened her eyes and for a second she was back in the dream, waking up on the couch, finding the house deserted. She felt a spike of fear - but it faded as her drowsy mind registered that he was still right there, he still had his arms around her, and that they were snuggled as close to each other as was humanly possible. And by the looks of it she had tried to get even closer still during the night, since he was laying on the very edge of the bed. A smile tugged at her lips and she felt a giddy urge to laugh – at some point she would probably have pushed him right off the bed in her attempt to get closer.

She still had the front of his washed out t-shirt clenched in nothing short of a death grip and her fingers shook as she had to consciously force her hand open. He shifted slightly as the pressure eased, but didn't wake. Red felt fondness swell in her and she marvelled at how innately kind he was; it must have been uncomfortable to sleep like that, but still he had let her hold on to him. The thought of why brought back hazy memories of her nightmare and she had to take a couple of deep breaths to calm her suddenly racing heart. He shifted again as if sensing her state of mind, and though he didn't wake he frowned in such an adorable manner she couldn't help but kiss him. The last vestiges of her nightmare evaporated as she felt him smile under her lips and she giggled.

"Good morning, sleepy-head."

He blinked owlishly and gave her a goofy smile that made her want to ruffle his hair or kiss him again. Or both.

"Is it morning already?" His voice was slightly raspier than usual, and Red wondered if it was that way every morning. She had always found his voice to be pleasing, but this was downright sexy. She certainly wouldn't mind waking up to a voice like that again.

"'Fraid so," she said apologetically, and gave him another quick kiss to make up for the bad news. "But how 'bout you just doze for a while longer while I grab a quick shower, huh?"

He hummed in agreement and let his eyes close again. He was sound asleep before she had completely disentangled herself and she chuckled as she made her way towards the bathroom.

Showering quickly she helped herself to soap and shampoo, knowing he wouldn't mind, and brushed her teeth with the toothbrush he had given her the night before – because apparently Archie Hopper was the kind of guy who had brand new spare toothbrushes lying around, just in case someone should need one. Just like the guest bedroom was ready, just in case someone should need a place to stay. After changing back into the clothes she had been wearing the day before she lovingly folded the t-shirt and the pyjama bottoms he had lent her to sleep in. Running a hand over the soft fabric of the well-worn and faded Doctor Who t-shirt she marvelled at sides of Archie Hopper she had never seen before.

Feeling much better and more awake she made her way back to the guestroom to wake him, but the sight that greeted her made her stop in the doorway. Without the physical barrier she had represented he had rolled over onto his stomach and was no longer precariously close to falling off the bed. His face was burrowed into the pillow, so she could only see half of it, his mouth slightly open, his breathing deep and slow. For a while she just watched him sleep with a fond smile on her face. In many ways this moment was the most intimate they had shared; in slumber some of the walls he had built around himself fell away, and Red thought she could glimpse the person behind – a person not weighed down by guilt, worry or weariness. She couldn't remember ever seeing him sleep before, here or back home, but he was sleeping now, looking so peaceful and innocent she couldn't find the heart to wake him. So she decided to let him sleep a little while longer while she made them both breakfast.

Her plans, however, were dashed when she opened the fridge and found it almost completely empty - bottled water, a few pears, a carton of milk that was close to four months over the expiration date, a jar of preserve that Red realised was a gift from her grandmother judging by the familiar loopy scrawl on the label... The freezer contained three TV-dinners and a pint of vanilla bean Häagen Dazs. A quick look in the cupboards was not encouraging either – a few bags of mixed nuts, beef jerky, a small selection of canned goods, hot chocolate mix and tea.

"How did you not starve to death these 28 years, Archie?" She shook her head, not sure whether she should be exasperated or worried, and ended up being both. No wonder he came to the diner so often. She frowned slightly at the mental image of him sprawled out on the bed: clad only in pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt, without the bulk of his usual shirt, sweater vest and jacket, he had looked a lot leaner than she had anticipated. This would simply not do.

-.:.-.:.-.:.-.:.-.:.

"Ruby?" Archie yawned as he tied his dressing gown on his way down the stairs. "I'm sorry, I thought you would..." He trailed off as he looked around the empty living room. "... wake me."

Though his senses were nothing compared to Red's he knew his home well enough to know when he was alone in it. He felt something clench unpleasantly in the vicinity of his heart and swallowed his disappointment. _'Right. It was silly of me to believe –'_

The sound of the front door opening behind him interrupted his line of thought and he started at the sight of Ruby coming in with an armful of grocery bags.

"Oh, hey, Archie! Close the door for me? Kinda have my hands full here."

He hurried over and closed the door, then automatically relieved her of two of the three grocery bags. She smiled in thanks and led the way into the kitchen, motioning him to put the bags down on the kitchen island. He obeyed in a daze and found himself just staring at her, stunned, as she put most of the groceries away, finding her way around the kitchen better than he himself probably would. Only when she had put away everything but the things she needed for their breakfast did she catch him staring. She smiled at him, but the smile faded as she took in the look on his face. With a look of dawning understanding and regret on her face she approached him with careful slowness.

"You thought I had left, didn't you." It wasn't a question and he didn't answer, just looked away, suddenly very interested in the carton of eggs on the counter beside him. Red walked right up to him and hugged him tightly, and after a few seconds of hesitation he hugged her back.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "I thought I'd be back before you woke up."

"It's all right, Ruby."

"No, I should have left a note or something, I'm sorry."

He hugged her a little tighter in answer before letting her go. Red gave his chest a pat before stepping back.

"Now sit down and let me make you breakfast."

Archie didn't protest, obediently sitting down on one of the stools by the kitchen island. He briefly considered offering to help her, but quickly pushed the thought away – there was a reason his kitchen was rarely used, and he would only make a mess of things. He would do the dishes, he decided, nodding to himself, oblivious to the little smile Red tried to hide at the sight of him sitting there so deep in thought in his sleepwear and dressing robe, red hair mussed and eyes squinting behind his glasses.

Her culinary skills were not top-notch – as she told him with an un-apologetic shrug, she was more used to serving the food than making it – but eggies in a basket with melted cheese, crisp bacon and fresh tomatoes she could handle, and it didn't take long before she handed him a plate heaping with food and a cup of strong tea. Years of taking his order at the diner paid off as he took a tentative sip from the cup, then smiled in appreciation and took another deeper sip of the brew. Fixing herself a plate and a cup as well Ruby sat down across from him, and they ate in companionable silence.

When he was done he pushed the plate away with a contented sigh that made it sound like it was the best meal he had ever eaten. "Thank you for breakfast, Ruby. It was delicious," he said with a smile as he lifted his cup to drink the last cool dregs of tea.

"It was the least I could do since you didn't get any last night."

He almost choked on the last sip of his tea and coughed. Whether the colour in his cheeks was due to embarrassment or lack of air she didn't know, but it matched his hair almost perfectly.

"Relax, I'm joking!" She assured him with a hearty chuckle. Ruby had always adored the flustered look the good doctor got when she teased him and found she loved it even more now. She gave him her best wolfish grin and was pleased to hear a soft if slightly strained chuckle.

"Seriously, Archie, I know you weren't expecting anything last night. You were and are the perfect gentleman, always. I mean, you even offered to walk me home, and when I insisted on staying you offered me the guestroom. I love you for not wanting to push me into anything, and though I must admit that I wanted to stay in case you couldn't sleep... I'm really, really glad you were there when I turned out to be the one waking up screaming. I'm pretty sure I would've broken down your door to check on you if I had woken up from a nightmare like that at home."

He blushed at her words, though nowhere near as brightly as before. "To be honest I can't remember the last time I slept this well," he mumbled with a shrug, not quite meeting her eyes. Red found herself utterly charmed by the soft admission.

"This is new territory for me, in more ways than one," she pointed out. "And I'm not quite sure how to handle it... so I joke, you know? Back home me and Peter..." At the mention of his name her voice wavered slightly and she swallowed, looking down at her empty plate. When he reached over and gave her hand a supportive squeeze she met his gaze again and saw no trace of jealousy, just genuine compassion in his blue eyes. It gave her the boost she needed to continue and she gave him a grateful, if shaky smile. "We never got the chance to be all domestic. And here in Storybrooke... well, let's just say I've not been in the habit of making them breakfast."

He let go of her hand and she felt suddenly worried. There had been a few one-night stands – not nearly as many as the town had assumed, but Ruby was not inexperienced in the game – and though she could now wish they hadn't happened she was not ashamed of them either. What if Jiminy... He rose and for a heart-stopping second she was sure he would turn around and leave, but instead he walked around to her side of the kitchen island and for the first time it was he who leaned in and initiated the kiss. It was not a chaste kiss, but it was short enough to let her know he did not expect anything more.

"This is new territory for me as well," he told her softly, looking at her imploringly. "We'll start from scratch and learn together. And while there is nothing I'd rather do than be with you like that..." This time it was she who blushed and he chuckled. "There is no rush. We have time. Neither of us is going anywhere."

It wasn't a question, but she answered anyways, sniffing and chuckling with suddenly teary eyes. "No, we're not."

They stood like that a moment, just looking each other in the eyes, before both burst out laughing at the same time.

"Wow, this is getting cheesy, sorry," he shook his head with a grin as he reached for the plates and cups and started tidying up.

"Yeah, getting awfully lovey-dovey already. Man, we got it hard!" She grinned as she snatched the last bit of bacon from his plate and munched on it while he started running the dishwater.

"Hey, where's Pongo?" she suddenly asked, finally able to put her finger on what was missing. She felt almost guilty that it had taken her so long to realise the Dalmatian was not in the house considering how much she liked him.

"Oh, he has been reunited with his family," Archie said with a sad smile over his shoulder and a hint of the old familiar melancholy she remembered too well from home. "And I'm happy for him, even though I miss him terribly."

"I bet," she said, understanding colouring her voice. "A sort of 'I'm happy for him, just very unhappy for me' sort of situation, isn't it?"

He chuckled and this time when he turned and smiled at her it reached his eyes. "Exactly."

Still, probably best to change the subject. "So what are your plans for today?"

Turning back to the dishes Archie sighed almost inaudibly. "As much as I wish we could just hang out here I really should get to the office. I have almost three pages worth of people who have signed up for counselling." He huffed in agreement when Red whistled. "And I'm sure more will come. I need to get an overview and start planning, sessions should start as soon as possible. I should also check with the Prince to see if Henry's sessions will continue as before..." he trailed off and Red could imagine the cogs turning in his head as he started compiling a mental list of all that needed to be done.

Red jumped down from her stool and moved over to him. She put her arms around him in a hug from behind, cheek resting between his shoulder blades, and while he had tensed slightly at the touch she was pleased to feel him almost immediately relax. She breathed in quietly but deeply, not wanting to freak him out, but unable to help herself from letting his distinct scent soothe and calm her and the wolf both.

"Promise me you'll give me a call if you start feeling overwhelmed again, all right?" Her voice was slightly muffled by the dressing gown, but she knew he heard her. "I'll be at the diner, but I'll drop everything if you need me to."

Warmed by the sincerity of her words and the feeling of a delicate hand placed over his heart, as if unconsciously trying to shield it from outside forces, Archie lifted a hand to place it over hers, only to realise it was dripping with dishwater, so he lowered it again. "Thank you, Red." he said softly, not voicing the three words he really wanted to say to her. He had after all been the one to point out they had time to start from scratch... Before he could think of something more to say she eased up on the hug and moved away.

"Oh, by the way." He turned towards her as she stopped on her way out of the kitchen. "Do you prefer Jiminy or Archie?"

He blinked at her, the question taking him by surprise.

"Um, I-I haven't really given it much thought," he stuttered. "But I think I prefer my Storybrooke alias, since it will make it easier for people – even those I knew well back home will be hard pressed to recognise me, at least on sight."

The sound of her chuckle made some of his ever-present worry recede, and all of a sudden the realisation that she was _there_, that she was there for _him_, struck him so suddenly that he would not have been surprised if the half-washed cup in his hand fell and shattered - but his hand was rock-steady and he looked down at it with wonder before his eyes found hers again.

"Makes sense," she shrugged, unaware of his unrelated musings. "I think I'll go with my Storybrooke name too. It will be familiar to everybody, not just the ones I knew back home, and I think people will need something familiar in all this mess." She smiled brightly at him, as if she was immensely pleased with how the conversation had turned out, and with a girlish giggle that was all Ruby she skipped over to him and kissed him so thoroughly he could have sworn he saw stars. With a last wolfish grin she turned and left as the cup fell from his suddenly nerveless fingers into the warm dishwater.


End file.
